Etihad, flynas plan IPOs amid global travel revival
Etihad targets 1 bln in potential IPO, sources say
Flynas, valued at 2 bln by Prince Alwaleed, seeks Riyadh listing
First Gulf airline IPOs in nearly 20 years

DUBAILONDON, Jan 24 Reuters Etihad Airways and flynas are gearing up to list on local stock markets this year, marking the first IPOs by Gulf carriers in nearly two decades, with Etihad sounding out investors next week ahead of a potential sale of around a 20 stake, two sources said.

Etihad is looking at a listing this quarter, the people with knowledge of its plans said, with one of them saying the airline would target both local and international investors.

It could raise around 1 billion in what would be the first airline IPO in the Gulf since Kuwait39;s Jazeera Airways in 2008, one of the two people and a third source said.

Saudi Arabia39;s budget carrier flynas, backed by Kingdom Holding, the investment company of billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, could also list this year, another person familiar with its plans said.

Qatar Airways, one of the region39;s biggest carriers, could go public before the decade is out.

The four people declined to be identified because the plans are confidential.

Etihad, and its owner, Abu Dhabi39;s sovereign wealth fund ADQ, declined to comment. Flynas did not respond to a request for comment.

Kingdom Holding39;s CEO told Saudi stateowned broadcaster Al Arabiya TV on Wednesday that the company was in the final stage…